Dedicated hospital staff have gone the extra mile this week to ensure patients are as safe as possible as the Beast from the East ravaged the county.

Doctors and nurses at Dartford's Darent Valley have been sleeping at the hospital throughout the big freeze to avoid missing shifts.

The hospital has praised staff for going out of their way to collect colleagues, with some using 4x4s to tackle the treacherous conditions.

Other stories of remarkable dedication include a nurse who left his home at 3.30am, three hours before his shift, gritting his driveway with cat litter in order to get his Fiat Panda on the road.

A spokesman praised the hospital's outstanding staff who had slept in any available room on site.

A message posted on Darent Valley's Facebook page read: "Well done to all of our staff who have stayed at the hospital, battled the snow and/or traffic, driven to collect colleagues in remote areas and those who have made alternate childcare arrangements due to school closures. Your commitment has ensured that the hospital remained open and operating normally - you are all amazing."

Among those to express their gratitude was Charlotte Bradford who called staff "angels", and Kim Charter who said: "Well done this is the reason our NHS is so precious and needs to be fought for."

Dartford councillor Joshua Jones added: "Absolutely in awe of all our public sector workers for keeping the country going and looking out for the most vulnerable under incredibly tough circumstance.

"This is time they could be spending with their families and instead they put the people that are in their care before themselves.

"Not all heroes wear capes!"

The hospital has not cancelled any operations or turned any patients away during this week.

Patients have been advised to attend appointments unless they hear otherwise.